Those Shoes

Illustrator: Noah Z. Jones

Blurb from Amazon

All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. Though Jeremy’s grandma says they don’t have room for "want," just "need," when his old shoes fall apart at school, he is more determined than ever to have those shoes, even a thrift-shop pair that are much too small. But sore feet aren’t much fun, and Jeremy soon sees that the things he has — warm boots, a loving grandma, and the chance to help a friend — are worth more than the things he wants.

Identities

How will your teaching help students to learn something about themselves and/or others?

Students will learn

to consider other people's needs
to make different decisions
to be a good friend
to choose necessity over desire
to choose comfort over brandname

Skills

What skills and content learning are you teaching?

Students will learn

to distinguish between "want" and "need"
to make reasonable predictions with evidence from the text
to empathize with the characters
to distinguish between stated and implied ideas
to compare texts with similar themes from different cultures
to identify the main elements of a narrative
to share ideas and information to contribute to understanding in large or small groups
to build on what was said previously
to use vocabulary from the text
to identify strategies that are helpful for listening and speaking

Intellect

What will students become smarter about?

Students will become smarter about

making decisions about comfort and brandnames
being aware of other people's needs and feelings
being charitable
doing something kind
making friends
letting others make their own decisions
waiting for others to notice their own mistakes
knowing that decisions come with consequences

Criticality

How will you engage your thinking about power, equity, anti-oppression in the text, in society, and in the world?

We will

discuss the reasons for poverty and the cycle of poverty
consider the nature of homelessness
research some ways to combat poverty
take action to make our local community better
learn the difference between pity and compassion
practise gratitude through meditation and writing

Teacher Resources

Homeless Hub (2009). Teacher Toolkit: A resource package to assist in teaching students about homelessness in Waterloo Region. Homelessness and Housing Umbrella Group. https://homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/q2ebqbz3.pdf
Homeless Hub (n.d.). Lesson Plans. https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/education/teachers/lesson-plans
Learning to Give (n.d.). Homelessness and Poverty Toolkit. https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/homelessness-and-poverty-toolkit

Learning Activities

Look for graphs, charts, and infographics from Homeless Hub, Canada Without Poverty, and Colour of Poverty about poverty in Toronto, in Ontario, in Canada.
In small groups, discuss the patterns noticed in the graphs, charts, and infographics. Identity the groups that are marginalized. Research for the reasons why some groups tend to live in poverty. Use graphic organizers to compare to the dominant narrative of people in poverty or experiencing homelessness.
Brainstorm how we can help those in need. Take action to help those in need.
Visit organizations that work to combat poverty and homelessness, such as Homes First Society or Fred Victor Centre. Generate a list of questions to ask the staff. Present the information to the school, using Google Slides, Powtoon, iMovie in an assembly.
Research organizations that support affordable housing, such as Habitat for Humanity Canada. Write to the MP to see what his/her/their platform is on affordable housing and daycare.
Partner with local businesses to support an organization that combats chronic homelessness.
With the facts about poverty and homelessness, create a game using Kahoot! to play with another class.